Paxton Intervenes in Killeen ISDs Effort to Ban A Charlie Brown Christmas Poster

ISD Board votes to ignore Community & State Elected Officials Support Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas  Once again public schools have decided that their commitment to diversity does not extend to Christians" said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton earlier today as he intervened in a lawsuit filed on behalf of nurses aide Dedra Shannon against the Killeen Independent School District (KISD) over its decision to take down Ms. Shannons Charlie Brown Christmas decoration.

Neither faculty nor students shed their constitutional rights when they step inside the schoolhouse door. The law in fact encourages school districts to take an inclusive approach to religious and secular celebrations that are both respectful and accepting of different viewpoints said Paxton.

Killeen ISD made a clear legal error when it decided it had to censor staff member Dedra Shannons Christmas decoration simply because it incorporated some religious terminology."

The principal of KISDs Patterson Middle School ordered Ms. Shannon to take down a handmade decoration that depicted a scene from the classic holiday tale A Charlie Brown Christmas." In the scene the character of Linus is asked by Charlie Brown whether there is anyone who knows what Christmas is all about." Ms. Shannons decoration quoted part of Linuss response:

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord…Thats what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown."

KISD ordered Ms. Shannon to take down her decoration claiming that it violated the law. And at its meeting Tuesday night Killeen ISD School Board Members voted 6-1 in favor of censoring Shannons Charlie Brown Christmas decoration. Only school board president Terry Delano voted to allow the poster to go back up. As todays intervention explains in detail the inclusion of Bible verses or religious messages on student or teacher-sponsored holiday decorations does not violate any law.

• To view Attorney General Paxtons intervention CLICK HERE

In 2013 the Texas Legislature passed the Merry Christmas law  (Texas Education Code 29.920) which guarantees the freedom of children teachers parents staff and school administrators to acknowledge Christmas on school grounds without fear of censorship persecution or litigation.

• Details on the Merry Christmas law can be found at MerryChristmasTexas.com.

Jonathan Saenz (below right) attorney & president of Texas Values who is providing representation for Ms. Shannon testified at the school board meeting and requested that the board allow the poster to go back up.

This attack on religious freedom and refusal to acknowledge clear federal and state law specifically on this issue is incredibly reckless and has placed the school board in a very dangerous legal position and an island by themselves" said Saenz.

Nurses aide Dedra Shannon said I am deeply saddened that the Killeen ISD school board voted to ban my Charlie Brown Christmas poster. I believe it is discriminatory to not allow Christians like myself to put up a display that is simply an expression of the story of Christmas."

• Video footage of the post meeting press conference can be FOUND HERE.

Ms. Shannon was forced to have her Christmas door decorations torn down by the schools principal because they were an issue of separation of church and state." Ms. Shannon is a clinic aide who decorated the nurses office door with a scene from A Charlie Brown Christmas with a direct quote from Linus when Linus tells Charlie Brown about the religious history of Christmas. The principal told Ms. Shannon that the drawing of the Linus character and symbol could stay but Linuss quote referencing the religious history of Christmas that included the word Christ" had to be removed if not the entire poster had to be removed. The issue occurred last week and has received national attention.

Banning historical and religious expressions about Christmas shows hostility to religion that must be stopped. Its amazing that even a quote from Charlie Browns Christmas is not even safe for some overzealous or misguided government officials said Texas Values Saenz.

This current national controversy about Christmas is what the Merry Christmas law was designed to prevent when it was passed in 2013.

Had Killeen ISD officials simply followed the law and been tolerant and respectful of the diversity of their staff this incident would not have happened" Saenz said.

The Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution says that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion." U.S. Const. amend. I. Ms. Shannons display is no more an establishment of religion" than reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools.. The school districts suggestion that Ms. Shannon is imposing her personal beliefs on students" by decorating her door in this manner is hyperbolic and defamatory and evinces a gross hostility to religion said Saenz. In order to help schools avoid such public controversies and incorrect conclusions about the law the Merry Christmas law was designed to make it clear to school officials that displays like Ms. Shannons are within state law. In this case conclusions about the law by the school principal led to the unnecessary demand that the Christmas poster come down. With just a few days left before Christmas break the solution is simple and easy for Killeen ISD  allow the Charlie Brown Christmas poster to go back up in its entirety" said Saenz.